The domestication of many plants has correlated with dramatic increases in yield. Most phenotypic variation occurring in natural populations is continuous and is affected by multiple gene influences. The identification of specific genes responsible for the dramatic differences in yield in domesticated plants has become an important focus of agricultural research.
Plants allocate photosynthates, mineral nutrients, and other growth components among various plant tissues during the developmental life cycle. In maize, for example, ear and tassel are specific female and male inflorescence structures that share certain developmental processes and compete with each other for required nutrients. Tassel apical dominance may limit ear growth and grain yield potential in the maize plants-methods and compositions to improve grain yield are disclosed herein.